Pittsburgh-area first responders head to Florida to assist with Helene response
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Several teams of first responders from the Pittsburgh area are headed to Florida to help out with the response to Hurricane Helene.
Murrysville Medic One said one of their crews along with a crew from Fayette EMS left for Florida on Wednesday night.
Two additional Murrysville crews, an additional Fayette crew, and a Rostraver EMS crew left last night.
"It takes special people to up and leave your families to help areas far away in these horrific conditions," Murrysville Medic One said on Facebook.
Edward Van Horne is with Global Medical Response, which is sending teams to impacted areas.
"We've got two very large deployment areas," Van Horne said. "One in the northern Carolina area and one in Florida itself."
The first responders will be helping people like Becky Ghrist, a former Western Pennsylvania resident now living near Rotonda West in Florida. Helene is the third hurricane she has had to endure.
"All along the coast here, there's a lot of devastation," she said. "The water came in many feet high."
Helene makes landfall in Florida
The massive storm made landfall late Thursday night just west of Perry, Florida as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour.
Helene left at least 100 people dead and caused widespread destruction throughout the southeastern part of the United States.
Helene was the third hurricane to hit the Big Bend region in the last 13 months.
Several airports were closed because of the storm and nearly 1,300 flights were canceled on Thursday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said around 3,500 National Guardsmen were standing by to respond to emergencies.